Man accused of arson at governor’s home said he was targeted over Gaza and Judaism
Suspect allegedly threatened to beat governor with a hammer and shared Molotov cocktail image online before attack
The man accused of setting fire to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s official residence told 911 operators he was acting in protest over the governor’s stance on the war in Gaza and made repeated references to his Jewish identity, according to a search warrant and arrest affidavit.
Cody Balmer, 38, allegedly started the fire in the early hours of Sunday morning while the governor and his family were celebrating Passover. The incident forced the family and guests to flee from the residence in Harrisburg.
According to a search warrant filed by Dauphin County authorities, Balmer called emergency services after the fire and said Shapiro “needs to know he will not take part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people.” He added, “Stop having my friends killed,” and referred to the governor as “that monster”, claiming “our people have been put through too much”.
Prosecutors say these statements reveal clear political and ideological motivation behind the alleged arson. Officials noted Balmer’s voice “sounded like he was possibly reading from a script”.
Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo confirmed this week that evidence had emerged of the suspect referencing the governor’s Jewish faith. “We do have evidence of that, that I believe is of record, that he made reference to the governor’s faith,” Chardo said.
While no hate crime charges have been filed, investigators say they are continuing to explore whether antisemitism played a role. ‘We’re looking at the possibility that it was geared towards the governor’s religion and his views on Israel,” Chardo added.
Speaking after the incident, Governor Shapiro said the attack had only strengthened his resolve. “If he was trying to terrorise our family, our friends, the Jewish community, who joined us for a Passover Seder in that room last night, hear me on this: we celebrated our faith last night, proudly, and in a few hours, we will celebrate our second Seder of Passover.”
The US Justice Department is now assisting with the investigation. Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry described the incident as “absolutely horrific” and said, “I firmly believe that they wanted to kill him.”
Balmer has a history of financial hardship, including prior domestic violence allegations. According to a police interview, he admitted to “harbouring hatred” towards the governor and said he would have attacked Shapiro with a hammer had he been present.
Investigators also discovered a 2022 social media post by Balmer depicting a Molotov cocktail, the same weapon allegedly used in the fire, accompanied by the caption, Be the light you want to see in the world.”
Balmer is currently being held without bail. He has not entered a plea and is expected to return to court later this month.
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